Door-mounted cabinet lamp

Abstract

A battery powered LED lamp suitable for mounting on the inside surface of a cabinet door is described. The LEDs are arranged such that their light will illuminate the inside of the cabinet and its contents when the cabinet door is opened and left in a position roughly ninety degrees from its closed position. In a favorite embodiment, a photo sensor sends a signal to a microprocessor whenever the light level at the photo sensor is suddenly increased, which would likely happen whenever the door is opened. The microprocessor reacts to the signal by activating one or more LEDs for a prescribed period of time. Multiple LEDs are arranged in a pattern that will broadcast light into several shelves within the cabinet at the same time.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A lamp for illuminating the area inside of a cabinet comprising:
 a. A power source,   b. An enclosure with a mounting surface,   c. Light producing elements supported by said enclosure such that the light from said elements is in a direction that is in the same plane as said mounting surface of said enclosure,   d. A circuit board to connect said power source to said elements.   
     
     
         2 . The device in  claim 1 , wherein said light producing elements are LEDs. 
     
     
         3 . The device in  claim 1 , wherein said circuit board includes a microprocessor and a photo sensor with said microprocessor programmed to activate said elements according to signals from said photo sensor. 
     
     
         4 . The device in  claim 3 , wherein said microprocessor is programmed to cause said elements to be activated whenever said signals from said photo sensor indicate that there has been a sudden increase in light at said photo sensor. 
     
     
         5 . The device in  claim 4 , wherein said microprocessor is programmed to cause said elements to be de-activated after a prescribed amount of time has passed. 
     
     
         6 . A lamp suitable for mounting on the inside surface of a door. 
     
     
         7 . The device in  claim 6 , wherein LEDs are arranged on said lamp to broadcast light into the area normally enclosed by said door if said door is in an open position. 
     
     
         8 . The device in  claim 7 , wherein said LEDs are activated whenever said door is opened. 
     
     
         9 . The device in  claim 8 , wherein said LEDs are activated by an increase in ambient light caused by the opening of said door.